Cataldo recruits on Classic trail
New Zealand bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo has enjoyed a rewarding weekend, with Australian recruits Miss Waititi (NZ) (Circus Maximus) and De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan) enhancing their Classic prospects at Flemington and Randwick.
Miss Waititi surged to favouritism for the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) with a decisive victory against the males in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m), while De Armas is likely to be supplemented for the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) after finishing a neck runner-up in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m).
For Cataldo, the performances provided further endorsement of two fillies he identified at different stages of their development.
Miss Waititi was purchased for Australian owner Tim Porter after just one trial appearance for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike.
The daughter of Circus Maximus had failed to meet her $80,000 reserve when offered by Windsor Park Stud at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, before finishing second in an 800m trial at Avondale in December.
“She closed strongly in that trial, coming from off the pace and looked good doing it,” Cataldo said.
“She showed speed for a filly that is bred to get distance and had plenty of size and scope.
“I’m a big fan of Circus Maximus. Credit to Windsor Park for bringing in these well-bred Classic stallions who will produce our Derby and Oaks winners in the future.”
Windsor Park’s stallion roster also includes dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin and Irish 2000 Guineas winner Paddington.
Cataldo subsequently arranged her purchase for Porter, whose racing interests have included Everest winner Bella Nipotina (Pride OF Dubai), and she joined the stable of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
Miss Waititi continues a successful association between Cataldo and the training partnership, following Golden Eagle winner I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) and multiple Group Three winner Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj).
“I had a lot to do with Michael’s father Mick senior, and Michael used to come to New Zealand a lot and stay with us,” Cataldo said.
Miss Waititi is now the clear $4 favourite with the New Zealand TAB for the VRC Oaks on November 5, with one further start likely before her Classic assignment.
“You couldn’t help but be impressed with her win in the Super Impose against the males,” Cataldo said.
“It would be a huge thrill for the Price-Kent stable to win a race like this as our relationship goes back a long way.”
De Armas, meanwhile, came onto Cataldo’s radar during a successful juvenile campaign for Otaki trainer Johnno Benner, who secured the daughter of Ardrossan for $16,000 from Elsdon Park’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2025 National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
She won her first two starts, including a Listed victory, before finishing fourth in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO after racing wide without cover throughout.
“I thought De Armas was the standout two-year-old filly last season along with Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution), and we were trying to buy her all the way through, but her owners wouldn’t entertain selling until after the Karaka Million,” Cataldo said.
“Straight after that race, OTI were in a position to buy the majority of her, with three of her original owners staying in. OTI are great supporters of New Zealand and of buying New Zealand horses and hopefully we can get a Group One win with her.”
Her narrow Flight Stakes defeat also carried a pedigree connection to an earlier success Cataldo helped secure for the Terry Henderson-led syndication company.
“We arranged OTI to purchase Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour), and she won the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield, beating Shoals (Fastnet Rock),” he said.
“This time, De Armas and OTI were beaten by Global Goal (Pinatubo), who is out of a full sister to Shoals.”
Although De Armas was not initially nominated for the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 17, Cataldo understands a late entry is planned. She is on the fourth line of TAB betting at $7.
“Hopefully both fillies will fly the flag for our industry. Australia is our shop window and we need our three-year-olds to keep performing there like they do, season after season,” he said.
With the New Zealand dollar trading at around A80c, Cataldo said the favourable exchange rate and strong results across the Tasman were helping maintain Australian demand for New Zealand horses.
“The New Zealand dollar definitely helps without a doubt. The demand from Australia is high. The New Zealand horses are just doing so well over there. It’s a no-brainer for them to look into anything that shows form here.”
Closer to home, Cataldo also has connections to Miss Magnetica (NZ) (Contributer) and Grocer’s Girl (NZ) (Tarzino), who are being aimed at the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
Miss Magnetica is trained by Hollie Elliot and races for Australian Michael Auld, owner of leading mare She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High), while Grocer’s Girl is trained by Tony Pike and part-owned by OTI Racing.
Both fillies will contest the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) before heading south.
“Both Miss Magnetica and Grocer’s Girl are going to the Soliloquy, then they will head to Riccarton for the 1000 Guineas,” Cataldo said.
With Classic prospects on both sides of the Tasman, Cataldo is also looking forward to assessing the next wave of talent at Te Rapa’s breeze-ups next week ahead of the NZB Ready to Run Sale.
“The record of the horses out of the sale speaks for itself. The pinhookers here are so good at what they do,” he said.
“They buy that type of horse that fits Hong Kong. So as long as the Hong Kong buyers keep coming back, it is always going to be a brilliant sale. There are also plenty of horses suited to Australia and the record of the graduates is exceptionally strong.” - NZ Racing Desk
Start crucial to Livamol Classic contender
Cody Cole will be holding his breath when the barriers crash open for Saturday’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings.
The Matamata trainer only needs to see his charge Atmospheric (NZ) (El Roca) break on terms to believe the son of El Roca can make his presence felt in the weight-for-age feature.
“You can never be confident going into a Group One, but he’s been working very well,” Cole said.
“If he can get himself out of the gates and put himself in the race, it will be a big assist as he can be a bit tardy away and make it hard.
“He got away well last time so hopefully he will again, it will be anxious moments and if he gets away, they’ll know he’s there.”
Atmospheric goes into the Livamol off the back of a luckless fourth in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) after racing in restricted quarters and was again held up in the run home.
The in-form Wiremu Pinn will retain the ride on the five-year-old, who was a placegetter in his first two runs beyond 1600m before tailing the field home in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) in his only other distance appearance.
“He fibrillated that day and that was the only time he put in a really bad performance, he’s been very consistent and he’s definitely ready for the 2000m,” Cole said.
“The back-up isn’t something I would typically do, but he had such a soft run in the mile and was never really able to be ridden out on his merits, so that’s helped him come through the run really well.”
Stablemate Old Bill Bone (NZ) (Swiss Ace) will also chase stakes honours when he steps out in the Gr.3 Timberspan Spring Sprint (1400m).
The six-year-old has won on three occasions, with a further eight placings from just 13 appearances.
“He’s just a gem of an older horse, he never runs a bad race and even when he’s run fourth or fifth, he hasn’t been far off them,” Cole said.
“He seems to find a way to get into the finish, it’s a strong field but he’ll get in on a light weight and has improved with his first-up run.”
Old Bill Bone was less than a length off the winner War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) when he resumed on the track a month ago.
Cole also expected a bold showing in the Vet Services East Coast Challenge Final (1400m) from last-start Matamata winner Ifbymagic (NZ) (Per Incanto).
“He’s gone to another level this preparation, we’ve always liked him, but he was just immature,” he said.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to see him feature in the finish.”
Meanwhile, a good surface will be key to stakes performer Landlock’s (Merchant Navy) chances in the Colliers Hawke’s Bay Premier (1200m).
“He had a great two-year-old year, and things didn’t go his way the next season with wet tracks and he got a temperature at one point,” Cole said.
“It wasn’t until the end of it that he put in a couple of bold runs to give the confidence that he still had it.”
Second in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) as a juvenile, Landlock was undone by a heavy track at Te Aroha when opening his four-year-old season and bounced back with a strong runner-up finish.
“First-up this prep it was too testing for him and he needed it and then second-up at Ellerslie he ran into a really good horse (Golden Wings (NZ) (Super Seth)),” Cole said. - Paul Vettise
Cosmic Crusader confirmed for Caulfield Cup
Turnbull Stakes hero Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice) will line up in the 150th edition of the Group 1 Caulfield Cup on Saturday week (October 17).
Following his brilliant victory at a rain-soaked Flemington last Saturday, the gelding’s owner, Bob Peters, had been contemplating whether to send the Andrea Leek-trained Cosmic Crusader to the Caulfield Cup, which is run over 2400 metres a distance the six-year-old has never been to.
Peters on Wednesday pushed the button, confirming his two-time Group 1 winner will tackle the race for which he is the pre-post favourite and will carry 56kg.
“Yes, we will run in the Caulfield Cup,” Peters told Racing.com.
A longtime successful breeder and owner, Peters is a wealth of knowledge regarding pedigrees.
Cosmic Crusader’s sire won Group 1s at 2000 metres and the horse’s dam, Cosmic Storm, won a Listed Belmont Oaks over the same trip.
“I’d say he will get the trip. It should all work out, I would think,” Peters said.
“He still had plenty of running after the line in the Turnbull and that showed us that hopefully he can do it.”
Regular rider William Pike will partner Cosmic Crusader in the Caulfield Cup.
Peters said a decision regarding Cosmic Crusader’s participation in the G1 Cox Plate (2040) at Flemington a week later will be determined by how the son of Maurice performs at Caulfield and subsequently pulls up.
Fellow Western Australian Northerly successfully completed the Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate double in 2002, becoming only the fourth horse in history to achieve the feat.
“We will wait until after the Caulfield Cup and then make a decision on that,” Peters said.
“I think if you look at the history, it’s only very, very good horses that win the double. I don’t think he’s in the class of some of those horses yet. If he did (do the double) he probably would be.” - Racing.com
Joshua Smith
NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
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